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Quick! What Can You Do With a Degree in English?
If you said teach, you're right . . . and wrong!
You're right in that English offers the most teaching jobs at almost every school - from grade school on up through college.
You're wrong in that the most popular career field for English majors is... business.
Surprised? Check out these other English career facts:
- According to a recent survey of attorneys nationwide, an English major beats out all the sciences and social sciences - even political science - as the best preparation for law school.
- An English major is the ideal preparation for administration or management in fields such as health care, law, or insurance, fields USA Today calls most "resistant to economic downturns."
- English is a preferred non-science major for medical schools.
Prepare for a 21st-Century Economy: Major in English!
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, "employment of writers and editors is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2010."
These jobs include salaried positions with
- Newspapers, magazines, and book publishers
- Computer software firms (technical writing)
- Educational facilities
- Advertising agencies
- Radio and television broadcasting studios
- Public relations firms
- Business and nonprofit organizations, such as professional associations, labor unions, and religious organizations
- Government agencies
- Motion picture companies
- For more information, see descriptions of 63 additional entry-level jobs for graduates with a B.A. in English (PDF file size 18.9kb). Note: this file requires the latest version of Acrobat Reader, which is available as a free download.
SUNY Plattsburgh Career Development Center
Our Career Development Center provides services, resources, and programs designed to help students and alumni to better understand the career development process, and to enhance their professional preparation and employability.
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?
Thomas J. Morrissey, Chair
Phone: (518) 564-2134
Fax: (518) 564-2140
E-mail: morristj@plattsburgh.edu
Champlain Valley Hall 104
SUNY Plattsburgh
101 Broad Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901